Ministry of Justice

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Department continues to work with the Supplier to ensure that the most up to date and accurate data is available in published statistics. The latest published statistics on monitoring status can be found within the Annex of the Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, September 2026: Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, September 2026 - GOV.UK.

Data on the total number of individuals with an electronic monitoring order who do not have equipment assigned as of 30 September 2026 (disaggregated by cohort and reason) can be found in the Annex of the latest Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, September 2026 (released on 22 October 2026): Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, September 2026 - GOV.UK.

The detailed financial information requested remains commercially sensitive. Disclosure would prejudice, or would be likely to prejudice, the commercial interests of either supplier and the Ministry of Justice, including in the context of ongoing contractual and commercial arrangements. The public interest in disclosure has been considered against the need to protect the Department's ability to manage those arrangements effectively and secure value for money for the taxpayer. On balance, the Department considers that the information should continue to be withheld.

The Ministry of Justice continues to hold both suppliers to account for delivery of the contracts and applies the contractual performance and financial mechanisms available to it where appropriate.

The detailed financial information requested remains commercially sensitive. Disclosure would prejudice, or would be likely to prejudice, the commercial interests of either supplier and the Ministry of Justice, including in the context of ongoing contractual and commercial arrangements. The public interest in disclosure has been considered against the need to protect the Department's ability to manage those arrangements effectively and secure value for money for the taxpayer. On balance, the Department considers that the information should continue to be withheld.

The Ministry of Justice continues to hold both suppliers to account for delivery of the contracts and applies the contractual performance and financial mechanisms available to it where appropriate.

The detailed financial information requested remains commercially sensitive. Disclosure would prejudice, or would be likely to prejudice, the commercial interests of either supplier and the Ministry of Justice, including in the context of ongoing contractual and commercial arrangements. The public interest in disclosure has been considered against the need to protect the Department's ability to manage those arrangements effectively and secure value for money for the taxpayer. On balance, the Department considers that the information should continue to be withheld.

The Ministry of Justice continues to hold both suppliers to account for delivery of the contracts and applies the contractual performance and financial mechanisms available to it where appropriate.

Under our Field and Monitoring Services contract, Serco staff attend prisons with the required equipment when an installation is required.

We have piloted Install at Source across six prisons. Install at Source involves fitting electronic monitoring (EM) equipment before an individual leaves prison, rather than arranging installation at their home address following release. Following the pilot, the Department is expanding the model to support wider delivery of pre-release tagging across the prison estate.

Our Field and Monitoring Services contract requires Serco to meet demand for EM orders, including attending prisons to undertake Install at Source activity where required. The contract does not require Serco to maintain permanent staff and equipment at every prison. Serco must provide the operational capacity necessary to deliver installations in line with contractual requirements.

Statistics on individuals with EM equipment that has not actively communicated for 14 days or more is published in the Electronic Monitoring Quarterly Statistics. The latest statistics up until 30 September 2026 can be accessed here:

Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, September 2026 - GOV.UK

For those with EM equipment that has not actively communicated for 28 days or more, as of 30 September 2026, there were 1,309 individuals. This represents a subset of the total not actively communicating for 14 days or more.

Reasons equipment is not actively communicating can be due to non-compliance with the EM order, interference or damage to equipment, technical fault, or power disruption. These will be dealt with accordingly. For example, where an individual is found to have purposefully interfered with or damaged the equipment, a breach will be raised and enforcement action taken, which can include recall to prison.

These figures are subject to the notes and caveats set out within the publication Annex (data tables) which can be found in the above link. It is not classified as Official Statistics, reflecting ongoing work to assess data quality, completeness and methodological consistency before potential inclusion within the regular EM Official Statistics publication.

The use of Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) forms part of our wider response to ensure people convicted of sexual offences are robustly managed. This Government is increasing the use of MMPSA for sex offenders by expanding an existing feasibility pilot in the Southwest to two additional regions, which will see the service extend from four to 20 prisons as a first step, with work underway to deliver this in early 2027.

Alongside the expansion of the service, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions for policy development are based on strong evidence which prioritises public protection, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (one of the medications used) in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

As the evidence of impact builds, we will continue to review possible implementation plans for increasing the use of MMPSA, including whether to mandate this treatment in future.

Healthcare in prisons is the responsibility of NHS England. Consequently, information on the number of prisoners who have received MMPSA is not held centrally by the Ministry of Justice.

The use of Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) forms part of our wider response to ensure people convicted of sexual offences are robustly managed. This Government is increasing the use of MMPSA for sex offenders by expanding an existing feasibility pilot in the Southwest to two additional regions, which will see the service extend from four to 20 prisons as a first step, with work underway to deliver this in early 2027.

Alongside the expansion of the service, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions for policy development are based on strong evidence which prioritises public protection, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (one of the medications used) in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

As the evidence of impact builds, we will continue to review possible implementation plans for increasing the use of MMPSA, including whether to mandate this treatment in future.

Healthcare in prisons is the responsibility of NHS England. Consequently, information on the number of prisoners who have received MMPSA is not held centrally by the Ministry of Justice.

It is not Government policy to provide tents to people being released from prison who are at risk of being homeless. Tents are not, and can never be, an acceptable housing solution. Overall responsibility for housing and homelessness lies with local authorities in both England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice shares the Prime Minister’s ambition to eradicate rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity.

Offenders supervised by the Probation Service who are at risk of being homeless on release from prison can be offered up to 12 weeks’ temporary accommodation as a backstop, where local authority provision has not been secured. H M Prison and Probation Service’s Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3) offers up to 84 nights of temporary accommodation for eligible prison leavers who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness on their first night of release, where other suitable accommodation has not been secured. CAS3 provides a stable base on release, enabling people on probation to engage with treatment and support services, seek employment and meet their wider licence requirements, while supporting their progression towards settled accommodation. CAS3 complements, rather than replaces, local authorities’ statutory homelessness responsibilities.

Before release, prisons, the Probation Service, and local authorities work together through pre-release panels to assess housing need and secure appropriate accommodation before release. This is backed by a record £700 million investment in probation services. We are also training prisoners for work and partnering with hundreds of employers to help prison leavers move straight into jobs.

Information relating to Serco’s performance against key performance indicators, for the period May 2024 to August 2026, is contained in the tables below. Where no data is available, this is due to being measured on reduced KPIs alongside a different reporting system as the service transitioned.

The Department can confirm that the answer provided to PQ 49785 on 8 May 2025, assessed Serco against all 14 contractual key performance indicators and not against the reduced set of four applicable during the transition period.

Serco was formally assessed for a total period of 18 months against the reduced set.

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes Official Statistics on electronic monitoring as part of the Electronic Monitoring Statistics publications. Data on breaches is being developed for future publication, and therefore cannot be disclosed.

We recognise the vital role that education plays in rehabilitation and reducing re-offending. The Government remains committed to delivering high-quality prison education together with work opportunities, ensuring that prisoners can gain essential skills and vocational training to support their reintegration into society.

Prison education is currently delivered through a range of partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Contracts were awarded following a competitive and open process. Two of the three Core Education suppliers are public sector Further Education providers. The Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (PEDPS) sits alongside Core Education contracts and enables Governors to commission provision flexibly from a wide range of suppliers, including many voluntary sector organisations.

A comprehensive evaluation of the Prisoner Education Service is underway to inform ongoing delivery and future improvements.

The Ministry of Justice, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and HM Prison and Probation service do not hold any internal guidance on Anti-Muslim Hostility.

The number of ministerial exemptions provided to transgender women since the exemption process was introduced in February 2023 is shown in the table below. For data protection reasons, the exact figure is not given where the total is five or fewer.

The use of Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) forms part of our wider response to ensure people convicted of sexual offences are robustly managed. This Government is increasing the use of MMPSA for sex offenders by expanding an existing feasibility pilot in the Southwest to two additional regions, which will see the service extend from four to 20 prisons as a first step, with work underway to deliver this in early 2027.

Alongside the expansion of the service, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions for policy development are based on strong evidence which prioritises public protection, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (one of the medications used) in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

As the evidence of impact builds, we will continue to review possible implementation plans for increasing the use of MMPSA, including whether to mandate this treatment in future.

The Ministry of Justice does not operate a policy of non-engagement with individuals or organisations.

Written representations to consultations and calls for evidence are considered in accordance with the arrangements for each exercise.

Departments have been asked to contribute 1% of their capital budgets to help fund the Defence Investment Plan. I can confirm that the Ministry of Justice is required to contribute to this.

As of Monday 19 October 2026, there were 3,669 places out of use for maintenance-related reasons in the Adult Male Estate. The reason they are out of use and their forecast return dates have been provided in a table below. Forecast return dates are subject to change as projects progress. For larger maintenance programmes, particularly fire safety works, places may be taken out of use and returned on a rolling basis, meaning the same places will not necessarily remain unavailable for the duration of the programme.

Subtotals for each reason have also been provided in a table beneath. The predominant function of each prison, as well as their cohort type, can be found at: Prisons and their resettlement providers - GOV.UK.

It is not possible to disaggregate prison running costs by nationality. Cost per prisoner depends on the category of prison.

The latest costs per prisoner, by individual prison, are published by H M Prison & Probation Service as part of its Annual Report and Accounts 2024–25 Management Information Addendum. Data on the number of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) in custody are published in the Offender management statistics quarterly under the prison population table 1_Q_9.

Within its first two years (July 2024 to June 2026), this Government has increased returns of FNOs by 41% compared to the last two years of the previous Government.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data relating to the current remand or bail status of defendants in ongoing cases in the criminal courts - providing an estimate of these volumes would be of disproportionate cost.

However, the Ministry of Justice does publish remand status for open Crown Court cases on a case rather than a defendant basis and this is broken down by offence group. A case will be considered a remand case if any defendant on that case is on remand. This is available in the Crown Court open case tool which can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics.

The Ministry of Justice also publishes data on the number of prisoners held on remand at specific points in time. This is available in the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly by offence group, in the Prison Population tool (Table_1_Q_1) via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data relating to the current remand or bail status of defendants in ongoing cases in the criminal courts - providing an estimate of these volumes would be of disproportionate cost.

However, the Ministry of Justice does publish remand status for open Crown Court cases on a case rather than a defendant basis and this is broken down by offence group. A case will be considered a remand case if any defendant on that case is on remand. This is available in the Crown Court open case tool which can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics.

The Ministry of Justice also publishes data on the number of prisoners held on remand at specific points in time. This is available in the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly by offence group, in the Prison Population tool (Table_1_Q_1) via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data relating to the current remand or bail status of defendants in ongoing cases in the criminal courts - providing an estimate of these volumes would be of disproportionate cost.

However, the Ministry of Justice does publish remand status for open Crown Court cases on a case rather than a defendant basis and this is broken down by offence group. A case will be considered a remand case if any defendant on that case is on remand. This is available in the Crown Court open case tool which can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics.

The Ministry of Justice also publishes data on the number of prisoners held on remand at specific points in time. This is available in the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly by offence group, in the Prison Population tool (Table_1_Q_1) via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data relating to the current remand or bail status of defendants in ongoing cases in the criminal courts - providing an estimate of these volumes would be of disproportionate cost.

However, the Ministry of Justice does publish remand status for open Crown Court cases on a case rather than a defendant basis and this is broken down by offence group. A case will be considered a remand case if any defendant on that case is on remand. This is available in the Crown Court open case tool which can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics.

The Ministry of Justice also publishes data on the number of prisoners held on remand at specific points in time. This is available in the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly by offence group, in the Prison Population tool (Table_1_Q_1) via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.

As funding is allocated regionally, it is not possible to disaggregate by county the costs relating to women offenders. However, we do contact a specialist provider to work with women in South Essex and Thurrock to support with rehabilitation.

Our Rehabilitation evidence synthesis, published in 2025, identifies the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions specifically for women as an area where further research is required. There are no evaluations specific to Essex. In addition to accredited programmes for offenders, such as Building Choices – which has not yet been in place for long enough to allow outcomes to be evaluated – it is important to recognise that rehabilitation outcomes are influenced by a wider range of factors, including stable housing, employment opportunities, family and social support, and the addressing of broader criminogenic and wellbeing needs. HM Prison & Probation Service is committed to taking forward a broad range of measures to give offenders the best chance of successful rehabilitation.

As funding is allocated regionally, it is not possible to disaggregate by county the costs relating to women offenders. However, we do contact a specialist provider to work with women in South Essex and Thurrock to support with rehabilitation.

Our Rehabilitation evidence synthesis, published in 2025, identifies the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions specifically for women as an area where further research is required. There are no evaluations specific to Essex. In addition to accredited programmes for offenders, such as Building Choices – which has not yet been in place for long enough to allow outcomes to be evaluated – it is important to recognise that rehabilitation outcomes are influenced by a wider range of factors, including stable housing, employment opportunities, family and social support, and the addressing of broader criminogenic and wellbeing needs. HM Prison & Probation Service is committed to taking forward a broad range of measures to give offenders the best chance of successful rehabilitation.

The Government is committed to ensuring all victims, including male victims, have access to the information and support they need.

The Ministry of Justice is supporting victims with the largest ever investment of over £550 million in victim support services over the next three years. This includes funding for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission local victim support services for all victims of crime, based on their assessment of local need, including those affected by rape and sexual assault, and includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) which funds over 60 specialist sexual violence support organisations across England and Wales to provide holistic, trauma-informed support to victims, including male victims. The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is available to all victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse, regardless of gender. Recent service enhancements mean that callers and webchat users can now request to speak with either a female or male Support Line specialist operator between the peak hours of 8pm and midnight, enabling the service to be responsive to individual needs and preferences.

The Government is also delivering on its commitment to introduce rape and serious sexual offence courts. Victims of rape and sexual offences will experience better, more tailored support and fewer delays. Backed by a £23 million investment, this package of measures will ensure every single Crown Court building in England and Wales has at least one specialist rape and serious sexual offence courtroom by 2028. The package will also deliver new victim-centred court upgrades in the Crown Court such as separate entrances and private waiting rooms and will trial a single point of contact to ensure victims’ needs are met by the courts.

Later this year, we will also deliver on our manifesto commitment to provide free, independent legal advice to adult victims of rape, including male victims, across England and Wales. The service will help victims to understand their rights, including where they are asked to provide personal information or information held on their mobile phone. It will also assist with complaint applications against the police and CPS, compensation claims and the Victim’s Right to Review scheme.

This Government recognises that domestic abuse can take many forms, including economic abuse and controlling or coercive behaviour.

The family court has a range of powers to protect victims. This includes the provision of special measures to ensure victims are fully supported throughout proceedings, the power to appoint an appropriately qualified person to undertake cross-examination instead of a perpetrator, and where repeated applications may be a continuing form of abuse the court can make an order requiring a perpetrator to obtain the permission of the court before making a further application.

Legal aid supports victims of domestic abuse to uphold their legal rights.

Civil legal aid is available to an individual, provided that their case is in scope of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). For private family matters such as child arrangements or financial remedy proceedings, legal aid may be available if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or at risk of being abused. Funding is subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse and passing the means and merits tests.

Reducing waiting times in the SEND tribunal is a priority.

His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is working with the judiciary to improve case progression and earlier resolution. The Government fully recognises that prolonged proceedings can place practical and emotional strain on children and parents by extending uncertainty about a child or young person’s assessment, provision or placement. The Department for Education has consulted on proposals to improve early identification of need to ensure that children and young people get the support they need when they need it, including strengthening local mediation services to resolve disputes earlier. It is currently considering responses before setting out its final proposals.

The Ministry of Justice's expenditure on interpreters and related translation services was:

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes the number of ineffective trials for individual Crown Courts as part of the trial effectiveness data tool available in the Criminal Courts Statistics Quarterly publication.

This is available at the publication landing page: Criminal court statistics quarterly

The Crown Court backlog stands at nearly 81,000 cases, and almost 24,000 of these cases have been open at the Crown Court for over a year. We are acting on all fronts – investing at record levels, driving system efficiency, and enacting structural reform through the Criminal Courts and Tribunals Bill – to tackle the Crown Court backlog and deliver swifter justice for all.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data centrally on the time between an offence being charged and the listed Crown Court trial date for open cases. The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, Criminal Courts Statistics Quarterly does publish data on the age of the open caseload - this is calculated from the date of receipt at the Crown Court rather than from charge. For further details of this data please see the ‘Crown Court open case duration tool.’

Criminal court statistics quarterly: April to June 2026 - GOV.UK

The Crown Court backlog stands at nearly 81,000 cases, and almost 24,000 of these cases have been open at the Crown Court for over a year. We are acting on all fronts – investing at record levels, driving system efficiency, and enacting structural reform through the Criminal Courts and Tribunals Bill – to tackle the Crown Court backlog and deliver swifter justice for all.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data centrally on the time between an offence being charged and the listed Crown Court trial date for open cases. The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, Criminal Courts Statistics Quarterly does publish data on the age of the open caseload - this is calculated from the date of receipt at the Crown Court rather than from charge. For further details of this data please see the ‘Crown Court open case duration tool.’

Criminal court statistics quarterly: April to June 2026 - GOV.UK

The information requested is not held by Metro Building Salford, M5 3EY.

Published data in relation to average time taken to conclude appeals within the First-tier Tribunal Immigration & Asylum Chamber (FtTIAC) broken down by appeal type can be found here

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics – within the main tables tab T_3.

There are currently 291 British Sign Language (BSL) professionals registered under the Ministry of Justice’s Visual and Tactile interpreting contract. Of these, 19 hold Non-Police Personnel Vetting Level 3 (NPPV3) clearance and 272 hold Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance. BPSS is the standard requirement, with higher clearance required where appropriate to the booking.

The Ministry of Justice keeps demand for appropriately vetted British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters under review. Current contract management information does not indicate that the availability of interpreters holding Non-Police Personnel Vetting Level 3 (NPPV3) clearance is adversely affecting the fulfilment of BSL bookings.

The Department will continue to monitor demand and work with its supplier to address any capacity requirements that arise.

There is no comprehensive database of pre‑2013 Empty Dwelling Management Order decisions.

Residential Property Tribunal decisions are published on GOV.UK, with decisions available from December 2018 onwards: https://www.gov.uk/residential-property-tribunal-decisions.

Timely delivery of prisoners is essential to the effective operation of the courts. Serco Ltd, which provides prisoner escort and custody services in the South of England, is contractually required to deliver prisoners in time for their scheduled hearings, where movements have been properly notified and prisoners are ready and available for collection.

Serco's delivery of prisoners to court is monitored through contractual performance measures, supplier management information and Court Exception Reports, which are used by HM Courts and Tribunals Service to record delays affecting court proceedings. HMPPS regularly assesses supplier performance and, where performance falls below the required standard, oversees improvement plans and targeted assurance activity. Where delays are attributable to Serco, contractual remedies, including service credits, are applied in accordance with the contract.

In the year to 30 September 2026, 11 Court Exception Reports were recorded in relation to Salisbury Crown Court, of which two were attributable to Serco. These reports record instances where delays have affected court business but do not distinguish between different types of hearings. It is therefore not possible to determine how many relate specifically to trials.

HMPPS assesses Serco's performance against its contractual requirements across the contract as a whole. Monthly Regional Performance Boards provide oversight of operational performance in the South West, while monthly Contract Management Boards review supplier performance across the wider contract. Where underperformance is identified, this is addressed through contract management arrangements, including improvement plans and contractual remedies where appropriate. Not every late arrival or court delay is attributable to the escort supplier. Other factors can include prison readiness, journey distance, court listing changes and prisoner refusals. HMPPS works with HM Courts and Tribunals Service, prison establishments and other criminal justice partners to address wider operational factors that may affect the timely delivery of prisoners to court.